China and WW2 Flashcards
How high do death tolls go concerning the Chinese front?
14 Million
What do the Chinese death tolls show?
Not a minor WW2 front
Where was the Chinese wartime capital?
Chongqing
What two ideological forces emerged in Asia in the 1910s?
Chinese Nationalism
Japanese Imperialism
What did the Russo-Japanese war leave Japan with control of?
The railways
When was the Manchurian Crisis?
1931
When did the majority of Japanese expansion take place?
1930s
Which party controlled China in the 1930s?
Guomindang
Who led the Guomindang?
Chiang Kai-Shek
Who was the ‘thorn’ in Guomindang’s side?
Communists in Central China
Japanese Expansion
What was Kai-Shek trying to achieve?
Chinese Unification
What political debate was happening in China in the 1930s?
Whether to go to war
What event increased tensions between China and Japan?
The 1931 Manchuria Invasion
What event triggered the 2nd Sino-Japanese war?
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident
When was the Marco Polo Bridge Incident?
July 7, 1937
What triggered the MPB Incident?
Japanese soldier went missing, Japanese demanded to investigate in Chinese territory led to soldiers fighting
Which two fronts did the war start on?
Shanghai
Beijing
How long did the Japanese think the war with China would last?
3 Months
Why did Japan not defeat China in 3 months?
China retreated to interior to Chongqing
Why was it easier for China to defend Chongqing?
Mountainous and had grain
What was the weakness of Chongqing?
It was susceptible to air attacks using explosive and incendiary bombs
Why could the Japanese only attack Chongqing at certain times?
Hard in winter due to mist
What did the people feel they were owed?
A debt by the government
Why was it important that the people feel they were owed something by the government?
Because this led to Communism
What did the New Life Movement aim to do?
Control Chinese lifestyles
Who created the New Life Movement?
Chiang Kai-Shek
Was the New Life Movement successful?
No
Why was the New Life Movement not successful?
Not able to create definitive ethical system like the Communists
What’s an example of the failures of the New Life Movement?
The Blue Shirt, Far-Right Fascists who violently implemented the NLM
What major WW2 event dramatically changed the Pacific Front in 1941?
Pearl Harbour
What did Pearl Harbour do?
Brought the US into the war
What effect did Pearl Harbour have on the Pacific Front?
Created Allies vs Axis structure
Why was the Sino-Japanese war important to the result of WW2?
Because the Chinese held up J troops that could otherwise have been fighting the Americans
Why was Chinese conscription important?
More support for opposition
When did the Chinese Civil War take place?
1945-1949
Why did the Chinese Civil War take place?
Antipathy towards the Nationalist created support for the Communists
How were the Chinese efforts in WW2 portrayed by the Communist government?
Suppressed as achievement of previous government
Why has the Chinese role in WW2 become more important to recent governments?
Disillusionment with Cultural Revolution
Nationalist Pride needed (Taiwan Unification)
Leverage against Japanese in international relations
Why is Asia’s memory of WW2 increasing as it declines in European memory?
Because becoming more important as it creates a National Identity
